Thesyndichadtoldmethatthethreeyoungladiesbelongedtorespectablefamilies，butwerenotrich。IpuzzledmyheadtothinkofsomeusefulpresentImightmakethemwithoutoffendingthem，andatlastIhitonaplanofthemostridiculousnature，asthereaderwillsee。Iwenttoajewellerandtoldhimtomakemethreegoldenballs，eachoftwoouncesinweight。
AtnoonIwenttoM。deVoltaire’s。Hewasnottobeseen，butMadameDenisconsoledmeforhisabsence。Shehadwit，learningwithoutpretension，taste，andagreathatredfortheKingofPrussia，whomshecalledavillain。Sheaskedaboutmybeautifulhousekeeper，andcongratulatedmeonhavingmarriedhertoarespectableman。AlthoughIfeelnowthatshewasquiteright，Iwasfarfromthinkingsothen；theimpressionwastoofreshonmymind。
MadameDenisbeggedmetotellherhowIhadescapedfromTheLeads，butasthestorywasratheralongoneIpromisedtosatisfyheranothertime。
M。deVoltairedidnotdinewithus；heappeared，however，atfiveo’clock，holdingaletterinhishand。
\"Doyouknow，\"saidhe，\"theMarquisAlbergatiCapacelli，senatorofBologna，andCountParadisi？\"